Day 41: ALWAYS Give Thanks!
18No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18
Here is the true challenge of living an attitude of gratitude: being able to ALWAYS BE THANKFUL—NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS. It’s easy to be thankful—at least EASIER to be thankful when everything is going the way we want it to go. It’s a lot tougher to be thankful when we aren’t feeling well, or when the boss is always yelling at us, or the classes at school aren’t going right, or we get cut from the basketball team, or worse—and there is far worse in life than those things just mentioned! When life stinks maintaining an attitude of gratitude is a major challenge, but God’s word says this is God’s will for us who belong to Christ Jesus. God’s will is that we maintain an attitude of gratitude NO MATTER WHAT. That can only happen when God has charge of our lives. If we find ourselves losing our gratitude, then we can be sure that it’s time to call on God to fill us anew with the Holy Spirit. Only with the Holy Spirit filling and controlling us may we always be thankful no matter what happens. In addition, we must remember that while God will always do His part—filling us with the Holy Spirit, we must also do our part. Our part is to give everything we have toward developing and maintaining a grateful spirit. That happens when we remember to say, “Thank You,” to God for the big AND the small things. Yesterday, most of us ate like royalty. Today, most of us will be eating leftovers. Our task is to be as grateful for leftover turkey and stuffing as we were for the big meal yesterday. Yesterday, we may have gathered with family and friends. We may have enjoyed a relaxing afternoon in front of the tv, while today maybe it’s work, or shopping, or last minute “winterizing” chores around the house. Say, “Thank You, God!” regardless of what it is that you’re doing today. I once heard a man who was brought up in a ghetto say, “Every morning that I wake up and don’t see a chalk line around my body is reason enough to give thanks to the Lord!” Amen!
Questions and Comments for Reflection and Action:
When do you find it the most difficult to give thanks to the Lord? Take some time right now to ask God to give you an extra measure of the Holy Spirit for giving thanks even in those circumstances.
Take some time today to continue giving thanks to God for all His blessings. Today, thank God for the “leftovers” He provides, for the common, everyday blessings that we find it easy to take for granted, and sometimes even to complain about in our lives. Remember, most of the world’s people don’t have leftovers!